Greg Goode addresses the Republican caucus meeting to appoint a successor to State Sen. Jon Ford on Saturday morning at Northview High School in Brazil. Goode was selected. Tribune-Star/David Kronke
Greg Goode was elected by a Republican caucus to replace outgoing District 38 State Sen. Jon Ford on Saturday morning.
Precinct committee people from District 38 voted at Northview High School in Brazil, with the results of 56 votes cast for Goode and 18 for Sullivan County Commissioner John Waterman.
Goode will be sworn into office on Oct. 16, when Ford’s resignation becomes effective. He will continue in the seat through 2026.
Ford introduced Goode at the caucus by endorsing him, noting his “great Christian, conservative deep ties to Indiana” and that he helped bring $20 million in READI funds to the area.
In a speech prior to the vote, Goode promised to “continue Senator Ford’s hard work” and called Indiana “an island of prosperity.” After he won, he gave a shout-out to Waterman, a friend of 20 years.
“I love you, brother,” he told Waterman.
After the vote, Ford said, “In his experience with [Indiana State University] and being chair of the [Wabash River Regional Development Authority,] I think he has a great understanding of where our communities want to go, and I think he’ll continue those efforts. Greg has always been a great believer in our community and I think he’ll continue that in Indianapolis.”
After Goode accepted congratulations from those in attendance, he praised Ford.
“Senator Ford has been a pretty versatile legislator with a lot of different irons in that legislative fire,” he said. “First and foremost, economic prosperity based upon economic development and a strong and vibrant, highly skilled workforce. We are blessed in Western Indiana to have some pretty outstanding institutions for higher education, and Senator Ford has long been an advocate for workforce development.”
Goode touted Ford’s work on issues such as housing and tourism, and called his compassion aspirational.
“Senator Ford has been a leader in working with constituencies who have been dealt a difficult hand in life, particularly individuals with disabilities and children who are in our foster care system,” he said. “Those priorities were a reason I was a strong supporter and friend of Senator Ford. Those are the types of policy issues that I am deeply interested in and will be priorities when I say I want to carry forth his legacy.”
Goode said Ford encouraged him to serve as his replacement. “He asked me to take a hard look at it,” he said. “When he made that announcement that he was going to step down, my initial, very selfish reaction was ‘Don’t go.’ He’s been such a great effective legislator inclined to work in a bipartisan way.”
Along with Ford’s agenda, Goode said he will work for educational support and to expand broadband — “I cannot stress enough that if Indiana and our rural communities are going to be successful, we’re going to need to continue to make investments to make sure that we have that internet connectivity,” he said.
“One of things that we need to continue to take a hard look at are things such our transportation system,” Goode said. “Those of us who drive on I-70 know how clogged it can get as part of being the crossroads of America. The amount of semi-truck traffic has really dramatically increased. … We need to make sure that our transportation and infrastructure is able to keep up with the 21st century economy.”
Goode is currently serving as U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s state director. Before that, he was executive director of government relations and university communications for ISU.
Ford first won his seat in 2014. He will now work for Reliable Energy, which promotes the coal industry and other fossil fuel producers in the Hoosier State.
Indiana Republican Party Chairwoman Anne Hathaway presided over the caucus.
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